Megillah 4b

מגילה ד׳ ע״ב

Learn Megillah 4b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Megillah 4b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Reading the מגילה before the 14th: who the early reading is for, how the days shift when פורים meets שבת, and why the מגילה is never read on שבת

Overview

The amud opens by testing whether villagers read the מגילה early on the יום הכניסה to help the walled cities. Two challenges from the משנה are answered. A third, from רבי יהודה, forces a rereading: the early reading is a kindness to the villagers, given because they already supply the cities. The גמרא then explains why the משנה lists its examples by weekday, and asks whose view the משנה follows when the 14th falls on Friday. The answer is either רבי or רבי יוסי. Each of them, and each opposing תנא קמא, draws a different feature of a normal year from ״בכל שנה ושנה״, since this calendar cannot keep them all. Next the גמרא shows that רבי moves the towns to the יום הכניסה only when their own day falls on שבת, and that רב הונא's rule follows רבי. Finally it asks why the מגילה is never read on שבת. רבה says it is a גזירה against carrying, which also covers שופר and לולב. רב יוסף says the poor are waiting for their gifts, and a corrected ברייתא supports him; it continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (42)

1. ChallengeIf the rule helps the cities, why don't villagers read early when פורים falls on Monday?
2. ResolutionMoving back would land on the tenth, which was never allowed
3. ChallengeThen why don't villagers read early when פורים falls on Thursday?
4. ResolutionWe don't push from one day of assembly back to another
5. Challengeרבי יהודה: villagers who don't come to town read on the fourteenth
6. ConclusionRereading the reason: early reading is a kindness to the villagers
7. QuestionWhy does the משנה switch from dates to weekdays?
8. ResponseListing by dates would scramble the weekdays
9. QuestionWhose opinion is the משנה about Friday?
10. ResponseEither רבי or רבי יוסי
11. ProofA ברייתא shows רבי's view
12. QuestionWhat is the reason of the first opinion?
13. ResponseTowns must always come before walled cities
14. ChallengeMaybe the verse means towns stay on their usual date
15. ResolutionHere both cannot be kept
16. QuestionWhat is רבי's reason?
17. ResponseTowns always keep their date
18. ChallengeMaybe the verse means towns must come first
19. ResolutionHere too both cannot be kept
20. QuestionWhat is רבי יוסי's view?
21. ResponseThe ברייתא: walled cities move earlier, or read with the towns
22. QuestionWhat is the תנא קמא's source?
23. ResponseAs every year: towns on the 14th, and the two never share a day
24. ChallengeChallenge: every year walled cities never come first
25. ResolutionHere it is impossible to keep everything
26. QuestionWhat is רבי יוסי's source?
27. ResponseAs every year: walled cities never come first
28. ChallengeChallenging רבי יוסי with the other reading of the same verse
29. ResolutionIt is impossible to keep every feature of a normal year
30. ChallengeDoes רבי really never push the towns to יום הכניסה?
31. ResolutionOn שבת the towns lost their day; on Friday they did not
32. QuestionWhose view does רב הונא's rule follow?
33. ChallengeNot everyone can be pushed: walled cities read on Sunday
34. ResolutionCorrected wording: whoever is pushed goes to יום הכניסה
35. Responseרב הונא follows רבי
36. QuestionEveryone agrees the מגילה is not read on שבת: why?
37. Responseרבה: a גזירה against carrying the מגילה to an expert
38. StatementThe same reason applies to שופר and לולב
39. Responseרב יוסף: the poor are waiting for their gifts
40. ProofA ברייתא supports רב יוסף
41. ChallengeThe word "even though" does not fit
42. ResolutionCorrected reading: "since they said"